TITLE

New York:  An Optical Illusion at the Marathon:
The Waterfall Effect  — Video

DESCRIPTION

VIDEO TO WATCH

From the article:

“Test yourself with this video. The waterfall effect is a subtle optical illusion that sometimes happens to marathon fans. After someone cheers for runners for a long time, stationary objects may appear to move.”

This is also known as a motion effect optical illusion.

SOURCE

New York Times, October 31, 2015, by Hagar and Simons

LINK TO RESOURCE

http://www.nytimes.com/video/sports/100000004010457/do-you-experience-the-waterfall-effect.html?emc=edit_th_20151101&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=38200791

(shortened URL)    http://tinyurl.com/nvgturt

CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

•What is an optical illusion?
•After viewing the video, have students discuss their experience?
•What is the historical background to this illusion?
(see this Wikipedia explanation:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_aftereffect)
•Listen to the explanation in the video:  explain the neurological event in terms of the anatomy (rods and cones as well as movement perception).

THE VIDEO